b'8284WILLIAM RICKETTS (18991993) superb pottery teapot made for the 1934 Melbourne Centennial Exhibition, tree stump form with gumnuts, branches and leaves, adorned with two koalas and seated swagman lid,incised Wm Ricketts, Melbourne, 1934,25cm high, 24cm wideWilliam Ricketts introduction to clayMahood, Ola Cohn and Gustav Pillig, who modelling is believed to date from aroundtutored Ricketts in sculpture.1919, when he commenced work in theRicketts was passionate about preserving studio pottery section at the AustralianAboriginal culture and Australias native Porcelain Insulator Company in Yarraville.bushland. His repeated depictions of Here, Ricketts sculpted small figurines andAboriginal people he met, or read about, animals and learnt wheel throwing. Overwas his way of communicating to non-time, he produced jugs, vases and bowls,Aboriginal audiences the importance of many of which have Australian motifs.Aboriginal dreamings, and their relevance Comparisons have been made betweento land conservation. He also seemed to Ricketts early work and that of Merric Boyd,be attempting to give a voice to indigenous who also worked at Australian Porcelain,people during an era when many white with his wife, Doris. Before Ricketts movedAustralians were ignorant of their countrys to Mount Dandenong in 1934 (and beganrich Aboriginal heritage.work on his major undertaking, the sculpture park which now bears his name), he had[Adapted from the essay by Lyndel Wischer, contact with other Melbourne ceramicp.318 Australian Art Pottery 1900 - 1950.]artists and sculptors, including Marguerite$12,00018,00084 (Detail)'